ABOUT BLANK CANVAS CHURCH

Our Story

Blank Canvas Church began as Hope Chapel of Oak Lawn, a Foursquare church that faithfully served the community for many years. Through seasons of growth and change, God preserved the ministry and prepared the way for a new chapter. In 2024, God opened the door for Pastors Alan and Terrilyn Franklin to lead a church restart. On October 1, 2024, Blank Canvas Church officially launched with a renewed mission, a fresh vision, and a deep conviction that God was not done with this community. The name Blank Canvas reflects our core belief: God is the Artist. Every life is His masterpiece. And every person who walks through our doors carries a story that God wants to redeem, restore, and write anew.

“For we are God’s masterpiece, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” — Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)

Meet Our Pastors

Pastors Alan and Terrilyn Franklin have dedicated their lives to ministry, leadership, and helping people discover their purpose in God. Together they bring decades of experience in pastoral ministry, worship leadership, prayer ministry, discipleship, and community outreach.

Their passion is simple: help people encounter Jesus, grow in their faith, and live out the story God is writing through their lives. They are committed to building a church in Oak Lawn where every person is welcomed, valued, and given the opportunity to grow.

Blank Canvas Church is a Spirit-filled Christian church located at 9520 S. Merton Avenue in Oak Lawn, Illinois. We serve Oak Lawn, Chicago’s Southwest Suburbs, and the greater Chicagoland region with a simple but powerful mission: Worship God. Obey God. Tell God’s Story. We believe every person is a canvas — and God is the Master Artist. No matter you background, your past, or where you are in life right now, God is still writing your story. And He’s not finished yet.

Core Values

Worship

Worship is more than music. It is a lifestyle of surrender and devotion. We create space for people to encounter God’s presence every time we gather.

Creativity
We celebrate the God-given gifts and creative talents that reflect the image of the Creator. The arts, media, and creative expression are part of how we tell God’s story. As Blank Canvas Church, we believe creativity is a gift from God and a powerful way to tell His story. Through worship, music, media, visual arts, and creative expression, we seek to reflect the heart of the Creator and help people encounter Jesus in meaningful ways.

Community

Life change happens in relationships. We are committed to building authentic community where people know and are known, love and are loved.

Prayer

Prayer is foundational to everything we do. We believe prayer moves mountains,

changes hearts, and invites the power of God into every situation.

Transformation

We believe Jesus changes lives. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, people are set free, healed, restored, and empowered to walk in purpose.

What We Believe

God, The Creator:

We believe in the God who created the heavens and the earth.
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” —Genesis 1:1

Jesus, The Savior:

Jesus is the light of the world and the center of our faith.
The Holy Spirit: We believe in the power of the Holy Spirit to guide, empower, and transform lives.

Serving Others:
At Blank Canvas Church, we are committed to using our gifts to serve one another and the community around us. We encourage everyone to discover their God-given talents and use them for His glory.

“In His grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well.”
—Romans 12:6 NLT

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GET INVOLVED

Serving Our Community

Blank Canvas Church is committed to serving Oak Lawn and the surrounding communities through prayer, outreach initiatives, family events, leadership development, community partnerships, and practical acts of service and love.

We believe the Church is called to more than Sunday gatherings. We are called to be present in our neighborhoods, to serve our neighbors with generosity, and to bring the hope of the Gospel into every corner of Chicagoland — Oak Lawn, Chicago Ridge, Burbank, Evergreen Park, Alsip, Worth, Palos Hills, Orland Park, and beyond.

Our desire is to be a church that not only gathers on Sundays but actively serves and loves the people around us throughout the week. If you’d like to get involved in outreach or community service, we’d love to connect you with an opportunity.

Get Connected

OUR VISION

We are building a Spirit-filled, Bible-centered church in Oak Lawn, Illinois, where people from every background can:

• Encounter the presence of God in worship and

prayer

• Grow through biblical discipleship and practical

teaching

• Discover their God-given gifts and calling

• Serve their neighbors and community with love

• Tell God’s Story through the way they live

We are committed to building a multiethnic and

multigenerational church that reflects the beauty

and diversity of God’s Kingdom. We believe the

Church is most powerful when it looks like the

community it serves.

OUR MISSION

Worship God

We were created to worship God with our whole lives — not

just on Sundays, but every day. Worship is a lifestyle of surrender, gratitude, and devotion to the One who created us and redeemed us.

Obey God

We believe that obedience to God’s Word is the evidence of

genuine love for Him. We pursue a lifestyle of obedience through prayer, Scripture, community, and the power of the Holy Spirit.

Tell God’s Story

Every life tells a story. We want our lives to tell God’s story

a story of grace, redemption, and transformation. We share what God has done so that others can discover His love for themselves.

BLANK CANVAS CHURCH IS THE MINISTRY NAME OF OAK LAWN FOURSQUARE CHURCH, AFFILIATED WITH THE INTERNATIONAL CHURCH OF THE FOURSQUARE GOSPEL.